The Patron-Minette sections of Les Misérables are often overlooked by researchers; however they can provide some fascinating glimpses into societal perceptions of crime and criminals in the nineteenth-century. Based within a wider context of dramatic crime fictions, such as “Penny Dreadfuls”, this presentation will examine how Hugo characterises the figures of the Patron-Minette, using theatrical language to describe the group as a ‘troupe’— drawing upon stereotypes and figures that would have been recognisable to the original readership of the novel but have become increasingly difficult for modern readers to comprehend. The presentation will not just focus on the four heads of the Patron-Minette, but will also touch upon some of the gang’s affiliates, including Brujon, Les-pieds-en-l’air, and Fauntleroy.